[Rastapopoulos]

Originally Posted by vina

However we need to understand that a social/political/economic system where these guys earn less in salaries than the fees you have to pay for two kids to go to a decent school is by itself corrupt. In such a system the salaries are set accounting for all the "tips" they are going to get.

In that case why overlook the poor hawaldars or the traffic wardens. Do you (and by this I dont intend to get personal with you in specific) think it is fair to give them some token of appreciation for leaving us with just a warning instead of trying to hurdle us with complicated sections of law?

By no means I am saying breaking law is fair but just wanted to comment on the socia/political/econimic system. Trust me the traffic wardens have a harder job standing int he sun the whole day and inhaling the pollution that we do while revving up, and I do empathize.


I think rohan and a lot of others have a point when sayign the appreciation need not be shown by "gifts".

When I took trhe delivery of the car- I knew the sales manager had put in a lot of efforts but did not pay/gift him a thing. I sent him an official email appreciating his work and asked him to share it with his supervisor or manager as a formal feedback about him.

The guy still is in touch with me and we have conversations once in a while. I had seen my mail put in on a notice board for other customers to see

[vina]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@Brix; This is blackmail money not a voluntary gift! They just block the car, and the boss just grins!

Sir

Blackmail should be dealt with appropriately - I might have given the impression that I'm suggesting tolerating this non sense - I'm not.

[swiftnfurious]

Appreciating a person's work can be done in multiple ways. As some one pointed out, it could be by sending a mail / giving a positive feedback or even gifts [not so expensive]. When I took delivery of my car, there was one guy who I saw for the first time, was there around for 10 mins hardly for signing some papers and then wanted a "treat" for the delivery.

I actually got my car delivered after numerous escalations and finally I took the matter up with the regional sales office. When I went to take delivery of my car, I got to know that I was pretty famous [or notorious] in the entire dealership because of all the fuss I created and the sales guy was so shameless to ask for "treat". Just because I didn't want to spoil my own happiness, I just smiled and left the case there itself.

I would not even bother about such people who don't do their jobs in the first place, but if they have been nice to me and truthful, I would not mind giving them a gift, but not cash rewards.

More than that, I think may be 10% of all the customers might give the SRs a gift and the rest 90% will just drive away. So this is no where becoming a standard. My colleagues who have taken new cars, they all ask me whether they should gift the SRs and I have always told them - gift them if you think they have done a good job & its not mandatory! I know some of them gifted the SRs a pen set or an idol.

[Sheel]

I didn't gift anything to the sales rep but was asked to cough out some 900 odd rupees as bakshis to the cleaners & gate-keeper/s.

Gifting a sales rep hasn't caught on here yet, and there were some issues, but am glad that I parted with them with a smile playing on everyone's lips.

[ariesonu]

On my way to office everyday, in those kinglong buses, I meet this sweet smiling guy (architect by profession) & we usually share a newspaper.

Few days back, we just started talking about cars & I asked him..

ME: "What car do you have"?
HE: "i20, I just bought it last year"
ME: "very nice car"
HE: "Yeah, I'm loving it & also because I met my wife due to my car"
ME: "What!!" (Pausing for few seconds) "Okey how"?
HE: "Well my wife worked at the Hyundai showroom & she was the one who arranged all documents & paperwork"
ME: (almost shouting) "So you married her, just because she did the paperwork"?
HE: (smiling) "Well, we clicked & I asked her out, she agreed & rest is history"

I sat motionless for few minutes unable to grasp what I had just heard.
Guy marries the bank representative at the Hyundai showroom!!

Talk about GIFT for the sales attendent!!

World is a strange place.

Raab Rakha.

[lucifer1881]

Am I the only one on this planet who was not aware that it is considered good practice to gift the Sales Person? When I took delivery of my Bolero I had absolutely no inkling of this and drove off with just a 'thank you'. Feel quite a cheapskate now.

Anyway. I am not in favour of gifting sales reps. This is strictly a personal opinion. Being a sales person myself, I do not expect nor will accept any of my customers gifting me anything. These are my principles and if yours are different then all power to you. I do not believe buying a car is any different from buying a high-end stereo. I don't suppose people believing in gifting sales persons who sell them consumer electronics. Why should car salespersons be treated any differently?

[Red Liner]

The sales guy's just doing his job. In most Asian countries we have this very unique perspective on gifting and treats. When its a person's birthday everyone expects that guy to pay for everything that day for everyone and in the process go bankrupt. And then it becomes a vicious circle, because I paid yesterday - now let the next guy take the fall.

I gave my *gift* in the form of positive feedback to the sales guy on the form. I gave like 50 bucks to the delivery guy who brought my car from the showroom after the PDI. And that was it.

They didn't give me any discounts when I got the car - and nor did the sales guy try hard to wrangle a discount for me. Why the hell should I put down any more money on the table?

These are not gifts but tips for personalized service. I routinely tip people at restaurants waiting on me, my hairdresser, and others where the service is extremely one-on-one. try calling this a tip, and you'll probably stop this whole gifting process to people who are just doing their job for a commission on every car sold by the dealership.

[Jidousha]

When I purchased my first car, I did not feel like gifting anyone although I was asked for money for "cleaning" the car.
However after few years and gaining knowledge from experience, when I bought my second car, I did feel obliged to gift the Sales guys and everyone in the showroom.
The second buying experience was completely different and the sales and service staff cooperated with me in providing all that I asked or wanted.
I was happy and wanted to share my happiness in a small way.

[CBlazer]

This has to come from one's heart rather than be done mechanically. Purchase of a car was/is a big achievement for me in my life and wanted to share my happiness. When I bought my first car I was pretty happy with my interaction with the sales persons. Therefore I took time and pains to gift them something.

The second time around I was totally peeved at the way I was treated by the sales person - he lied shamelessly, didn't get back to me when he promised (more than once), tried to trick me into purchasing an older model. All I gave them was a bad rating.

[vina]

Originally Posted by ariesonu

On my way to office everyday, in those kinglong buses, I meet this sweet smiling guy (architect by profession) & we usually share a newspaper.

Few days back, we just started talking about cars & I asked him..

ME: "What car do you have"?
HE: "i20, I just bought it last year"
ME: "very nice car"
HE: "Yeah, I'm loving it & also because I met my wife due to my car"
ME: "What!!" (Pausing for few seconds) "Okey how"?
HE: "Well my wife worked at the Hyundai showroom & she was the one who arranged all documents & paperwork"
ME: (almost shouting) "So you married her, just because she did the paperwork"?
HE: (smiling) "Well, we clicked & I asked her out, she agreed & rest is history"

I sat motionless for few minutes unable to grasp what I had just heard.
Guy marries the bank representative at the Hyundai showroom!!

Talk about GIFT for the sales attendent!!

World is a strange place.

Raab Rakha.

so he went to buy a car and she sold him happiness

[MileCruncher]

Originally Posted by ariesonu

On my way to office everyday, in those kinglong buses, I meet this sweet smiling guy (architect by profession) & we usually share a newspaper.

Few days back, we just started talking about cars & I asked him..

ME: "What car do you have"?
HE: "i20, I just bought it last year"
ME: "very nice car"
HE: "Yeah, I'm loving it & also because I met my wife due to my car"
ME: "What!!" (Pausing for few seconds) "Okey how"?
HE: "Well my wife worked at the Hyundai showroom & she was the one who arranged all documents & paperwork"
ME: (almost shouting) "So you married her, just because she did the paperwork"?
HE: (smiling) "Well, we clicked & I asked her out, she agreed & rest is history"

I sat motionless for few minutes unable to grasp what I had just heard.
Guy marries the bank representative at the Hyundai showroom!!

Talk about GIFT for the sales attendent!!

World is a strange place.

Raab Rakha.

OT:
I'm not sure if I'm getting this exactly the way you wanted to project, but I somehow felt that you are demeaning the girl's profession. And to me that's highly unacceptable.

Nobody starts out as the MD in their careers unless their pops are the owners/promoters of the organisation. And in which case god help that organisation. Please respect dignity of labour.

[vina]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

OT:
I'm not sure if I'm getting this exactly the way you wanted to project, but I somehow felt that you are demeaning the girl's profession. And to me that's highly unacceptable.

Nobody starts out as the MD in their careers unless their pops are the owners/promoters of the organisation. And in which case god help that organisation. Please respect dignity of labour.

I think he wrote "gift for the sales attendant" and not "gift of the sales attendant". I think he might have come across as suspect but you might have assumed worse than he meant.

Originally Posted by Rastapopoulos

In that case why overlook the poor hawaldars or the traffic wardens. Do you (and by this I dont intend to get personal with you in specific) think it is fair to give them some token of appreciation for leaving us with just a warning instead of trying to hurdle us with complicated sections of law?

By no means I am saying breaking law is fair but just wanted to comment on the socia/political/econimic system. Trust me the traffic wardens have a harder job standing int he sun the whole day and inhaling the pollution that we do while revving up, and I do empathize.


I think rohan and a lot of others have a point when sayign the appreciation need not be shown by "gifts".

When I took trhe delivery of the car- I knew the sales manager had put in a lot of efforts but did not pay/gift him a thing. I sent him an official email appreciating his work and asked him to share it with his supervisor or manager as a formal feedback about him.

The guy still is in touch with me and we have conversations once in a while. I had seen my mail put in on a notice board for other customers to see

I agree fully with you regarding the hawaldars - they not only have a hard job they have a dangerous job standing all day in the elements and pollution and taking abuse from all and sundry who assume the guy to be corrupt at the first glance.

Should you appreciate them for letting you go for breaking law? well do you seriously believe this is the same as giving the gift to a salesman? My argument was that salesman is doing his duty and the socio-economic equilibrium is such that a part of his income is tips. I didn't ask you to break the law and pay up to get out of that.

What you should do is lobby for the hawaldar's salaries to be rationalised (if you believe they are underpaid, which some might not believe and some might) and if you are feeling so indignant about giving gifts, do the same for the salesmen.

Sending an email is frankly a joke and a cheap and meaningless gesture. If somebody does his job then you say thank you. If he does it poorly - make a complaint and create a ruckus (and many people do). But if he helps you out a lot - what is the problem you have if some of us decide to appreciate it beyond emails?

[noopster]

@ariesonu- that was a sweet story. Proves that you can find love anywhere, even in the cold confines of an automobile showroom!

@Thad- I agree with your point on principle but don't think that's what ariesonu meant- will leave it to him to explin, though.

[ravib]

I took delivery of my Berry Red i20 Asta last week.
The sales person was extremely professional and was very patient in answering all my questions & queries right from the time i booked the car till the delivery. He never gave any incorrect info for the sake of selling the car and always stuck to the facts to my knowledge. I did cross verify his points and it was all genuine.

He never showed any expectation of gift anytime. To my surprise, when i went to the showroom to take the car delivery, he gifted me a box of chocolates and Bhagavad Gita book !!! In return, i gifted him a well written Thank you note, a key chain with first alphabet of his name and a key chain cum mail holder. Even while accepting that, he never showed excitement or exaggerated anything and still maintained his calm & cool. Even this week, i am yet to close on couple of things with the showroom, and his behaviour remains same like how it was from day one.

Some people are truly professionals and i do think its a good gesture & well worth to appreciate them with a small gift (which is not expected/demanded by any means). Its not about value of the gift, but much more than that !

-Ravi

[vina]

One of the reasons I chose Fortune Ford over Modi Ford to buy my figo was the cool persistence of the saleswoman there. She would call me every two weeks, give details of all the schemes on offer and what to anticipate, even when I told her that I had postponed the plans to buy a vehicle. On all of her calls she would first introduce herself and then ask me whether she should call later. This continued for 4 months till I told her I'll callher myself. That was in Feb.

Towards April-end I gave her a call to ask her whether she could arrange a testdrive and she did in 10 minutes ! Also since then she has taken care of everything (though the dealership is expensive).

So two days after delivery when I went to the dealership to get mouldings fixed on the car I took one huge box of sweets for her, and another smaller one for the staff at the dealership.

I get a royal treatment whenever I go there.